The Wasp — 1894 — page 452: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a romantic encounter on a staircase between a well-dressed man and woman. The caption references "Georges de Sausality" asking a father's consent for marriage, while "Maybeelle Matinee" dismisses concerns about her millinery and dressmaker's bills, claiming they're less troublesome than her late father's Horse Show expenses. The satire targets wealthy society women's extravagant spending habits—particularly on fashion and social events like horse shows. The joke suggests that a prospective husband shouldn't worry about a woman's debts since her father already managed far costlier frivolities. The cartoon mockingly portrays upper-class financial irresponsibility and the acceptance of women's lavish consumption as inevitable within that social sphere.